It’s A Free Country, So Watch Junk If You Want

Kathleen Sullivan, once hailed as a bona-fide journalist (she wore nice sweaters during the 1984 Olympics), is not too popular with the television press corps these days.

After a career meltdown, which saw her lose her prestigious network position, get divorced and gain a bunch of weight, Sullivan is back as a reporter on the E! Entertainment Television network.

She’s hosting the O.J. Simpson coverage.

In a press conference on Tuesday, reporters questioned both the tabloid nature of the trial coverage and Sullivan’s ad campaign for Weight Watchers.

“I think it’s wonderful that the public gets to choose what it watches on television,” Sullivan responded, “and I think it’s wonderful they can choose us.”

Loose talk

Ellen DeGeneres on who her dream golf foursome would be (in InStyle magazine): “David Letterman, Courtney Love, Oprah Winfrey and myself. I think we’d all get along really well.”

Dave won’t be at the party because Dave’s not here

Cheech Marin turns 49 today.

Yes, but what qualities will your TV movie stress?

Sela Ward will portray the late TV newswoman Jessica Savitch in a forthcoming Lifetime network movie. Ward describes Savitch as “this wonderful woman, so full of life and playfulness. And she seemed like a really neat lady.” Savitch was killed at age 36 in a 1983 car accident.

Remember, never, ever trust the wife of a talk-show host

Ken Jennings is suing Rush Limbaugh for $100,000, claiming wages owed on a remodeling project from which he was fired. Jennings says Limbaugh’s wife, Marta Fitzgerald, spent millions on the couple’s New York apartment. “I think she was having a hard time with Rush because of the money she was spending, and I think I became the fall guy,” Jennings said. “She went wild and got very ornate and very expensive.”

Movie ‘Man of Steel’ may never fully mend

Christopher Reeve’s doctors said Tuesday that the actor, injured six weeks ago in a riding accident, is making “tremendous progress.” He can speak a few words while exhaling, chew solid food, shrug his shoulders and move his head side-to-side. But, they warned, full recovery from his type of spinal injury if “doubtful.”

Yeah, because ‘Hard Copy’ is paying well for the news tip

Heading for a Colorado hideaway, a close-mouthed Princess Diana flashed through the San Francisco airport on Monday. “Soneone asked her where she was headed,” United Airlines flight attendant Kelly Schay said. “She said, ‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’ “

Supply and demand, folks, is the basis of a free economy

Don’t be surprised to see a video titled “Four Weddings and a Hooker” at your local video store soon. “It’s a lighthearted, unfair look at Hugh Grant’s life,” said producer David Donoghue. “Quite obviously it’s an opportunistic film, but the demand for it is there.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color photos

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by staff writer Dan Webster